Line-grip



J.P.PBGAN. LINE GRIP {No Model.)

No. 577,735. Patented Feb. 23, 1 897..

U m M WITNESSES:

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JAMES P. FEGAN, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO THE AMERICAN LINE GRIP COMPANY, OF MAINE.

LINE-G RIP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 577,735, dated February23, 1897.

I Application filed May 18, 1896. Serial No. 591,971. (No model.)

T0 (1, whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES P. FEeAN,of Cambridge, in the county ofMiddlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Line-Grips, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to clamps for adjustably holding the ends oflines, such as clotheslines, and has particular reference to that typeof such devices in which a lever is formed to clamp the line betweenitself and a suitable base, the clamping tension of said lever beingpreserved by the strain of the suspended line or rope.

The object of this invention is to produce a simple, practical, durable,and efficient clamp of this type; and to this end the invention consistsin the construction and combination of parts, substantially ashereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view' of a clampembodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a similar view from anotherpoint and illustrating a diiferent and preferred form of the lower endof the lever. Fig. 3 represents a side elevation of the lever shown inFig. 2.

Similar reference-characters indicate the same parts throughout theseveral views.

a represents a base-plate having suitable holes a to adapt it to beattached to a wall, post, or other means of support. This plate isprovided with a boss or lug b, which is preferably cast integral withthe base-plate, said boss being provided with a pin 0, preferably anintegral one, provided with a head a, said pin forming the fulcrum forthe lever presently described.

d indicates the lever, having its upper end bifurcated to form two hornsd and provided near its mid-length with two pairs of lugs e, which arebent or crimped so as to surround or partially surround the pin 0. Thisconstruction provides an easy means for uniting the two parts of theclamp and a durable means for holding them in operative correlation.Below the axial point the lever is pro vided with a cam-shapedprojection f at its rear, which is adapted to clamp the end of the ropeor line.

The lower end of the lever shown in Fig. 1 is bifurcated to form twocurved horns g, between and around which the lower end of the rope orline may be carried or twisted, while in Figs. 2 and 3 I show the lowerend of the lever as provided with a single corkscrew-finger or aspirally-curved hook It.

In the operation of the device the line or rope to be clamped is passedbehind the lever and under the pin 0 and led over and between the hornscl at the upper end of the lever. The lower end of the rope passes downbe tween the cam f and the base-plate and may be drawn so as to pull thehorizontal portion of the line taut, when the tension or strain on saidhorizontal portion will increase the binding action of the cam f againstthe line or rope and hold it firmly against the base-plate. Foradditional security the lower portion of the rope may be carried aroundthe horns g, (shown in Fig. 1,) but I find the form of thecorkscrew-finger or spirally-shaped hook h a preferable one in that therope can be simply carried over said hook, when the weight of the ropeacting on the said hook increases the binding action of the clamp.

The lever is arranged between the pin and the plate, in such Way thatthe body of the lever bears against the pin, and so that the forwardly-extending lugs e e do not have to withstand any strain that wouldtend to straighten them, since they operate merely to hold the lever inthe proper position on the pin.

I claim- 1. A line-clamp comprising in its construction a base-platehaving a lug I) provided with a pin 0 projecting from one side thereof,said pin being provided with a head, and a lever d inserted between thepin and the base-plate so as to bear against the pin, said pin beingprovided With a bifurcated upper end, a corkscrew-finger at its lowerend, and with a cam portion coactin g with the base-plate, said 1everalso having forwardly-extending lugs e bent around the pin c whereby thestrain upon the lever is borne by the pin, and not by the lugs, saidlugs coacting with the pin and the head thereof to retain the lever inposition, substantially as described.

2. A line-clamp comprising in its construcpin and the head thereof toretain the lever in position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of I 5 two subscribing Witnesses, this 12th day of May, A. D.1896.

JAMES P. FEGAN.

WVitnesses:

A. D. HARRISON, P. WV. PEZZETTI.

